The Simple Things
by Geezworld234
Summary: It was only meant to be a innocent night out as friends, the only trouble was the alcohol had her thinking she was falling for her boss.


_**Disclaimer not mine! This is a very belated challenge answer to some challenges, the include ones are all in bold and the other challenge was to write a fic with a ship you don't usually write, so this is Sandland. I do hope it is in character and you enjoy, just a little thing if you have nothing nice to say about it then please don't bother all the nasty comments and silly stuff over ship rivalries is silly and why I stopped writing for a bit. Any way enough enjoy, Gee :)**_

* * *

"Right, see you guys Monday, sorry to do this to you but I really have to shoot off and get changed" Sandra said pulling on her coat.

"It's alright Guv, we will leave you all the awkward paper work" Gerry Standing joked. "'Ere, who is he and why are you giving him the preferential treatment over us?"

"If you must know it is Strickland, and before you lot start it is nothing like that it's just he had a spare ticket to a charity concert at the **Royal Albert Hall** and I said I would accompany him as he was struggling to find a replacement date" she explained.

"Yeah right" Gerry scoffed.

"Anyway, I will see you all Monday, have a nice weekend. Jack, make sure Gerry actually does some work."

"With pleasure" the older man said flashing a smiled at the cockney.

Once Sandra was no longer in the office Gerry muttered under his breath: "Sandra and Strickland."

"Well we always did have an inkling he liked her a little more than he should" Jack said turning off his computer.

"And where are you going?" Gerry asked.

"Home, she wanted to do the work, not me."

"Maybe they are just going as friends, after all it is for charity" Brain Lane said clipping on his bicycle helmet.

"What you're going too?" Gerry said beginning to get annoyed.

"Have a nice weekend, don't work too hard" the Northerner smiled.

"Triffic" Gerry said flatly throwing the documents at Jack and Brian as they both left the office.

* * *

Sandra gave up, it was her third attempt at paining her nails but no matter how much top coat she used her baby pink **nail polish **didn't want to stay on.

She examined her face in the mirror as she made a final attempt in letting her nails dry; she never had been good at being patient. At least her makeup looked alright. She had opted for a smoky-eyed look to go with her figure hugging black dress that stopped just above her knees. She had put her hair up in an almost perfect bun, finished with a silver jewel encrusted clip. Sandra never really had the opportunity to dress up anymore; dates were few and far between the older she got, so she thought tonight was a good night as any to make the effort.

At exactly 7:15 exactly the doorbell rang. "Christ, he's early" she muttered as she slipped on her silver high heels, grabbed her clutch back and went to answer the door.

She paused, flattening down her dress before she finally plucked up the courage to open the door, flashing her trademark smile.

"Sir, you are early" she beamed, eyeing him up from top-to-toe in his dapper dinner suit.

"Sandra, you look, magnificent" he exclaimed.

"Thank you, sir. I just wish my nail varnish would have done what I wanted it to do."

"Well you can't tell, please we aren't at work Sandra. Call me Rob" he smiled, offering her his arm.

"Very well, Rob" she replied, linking her arm in his and allowing Robert to escort her to the car.

The concert was very entertaining, and Robert's company was most enjoyable.

"Would you like to go for a drink a little closer to home?" he asked as they left London's most famous concert hall.

"Do you know what I would really like?"

"What might that be?"

Sandra grinned, looking a trifle embarrassed about her confession; "something to eat, I am starving. Brian knocked over my lunch when he banged his clumsy fists on the table earlier, when he got over excited about something. So I haven't eaten since breakfast." She admitted.

"Did you not have any dinner?"

"I didn't want to risk inflating myself, I haven't worn this dress in years" she laughed, pushing a rogue lock of hair out of her eye.

"I don't think you have to worry about that, you have a fine figure."

Sandra blushed; "Thank you."

"Now where would you like to eat? Italian? Indian?"

"To be honest, I would much rather have something sweet, do you think there is a late night greasy spoon around here?"

"I know a little café, owned by a friend of mine, I am sure he wouldn't mind opening up for us, I will give him a call now" Rob beamed; he really did like the fact that Sandra took pleasure in the simple things in life.

"No there is no-"Her boss had already dialled the number.

"Tony, you are a star, thank you so much see you in ten minutes."

* * *

They drove a little distance to the old fashioned cafe.

Inside the red and white checked curtains were drawn and light was dimmed. A man had just lit a candle on the most intimate table in the middle of the eatery.

"Sir, madam, will you be requiring white wine or red?" the man asked with a smile before pulling out Sandra's chair.

"White, I think" Strickland said before sitting down, himself.

Sandra studied the menu with hungry eyes; she always had taken her food too seriously.

"What do you fancy? I am tempted by the chocolate bomb fudge cake" Rob said pouring Sandra some wine.

"Cheers" she said locking her eyes onto his as their glasses clinked, from an early age her mother had told her this was good luck and she had done this ritual ever since she was able to drink.

"Well, I will have the **apple pie with lashings of custard**, please" she finally said handing Tony her menu.

"Good choice madam, your sweets will be with you soon" he said before disappearing.

"I thought the artists tonight were phenomenal" Robert finally said.

"So did I, I have had a lovely time, thank you" Sandra said beaming, she hadn't had a night out in ages and she was enjoying this more than any she had been on since joining UCOS.

"Good, I am so glad. I can't thank you enough for agreeing to come with me."

"Well, I can't have let you come on your own" she joked, taking the unfussy bowl from the waiter. She couldn't see the pie for the swimming pool of steaming custard. "Just the way I like it" she grinned, before grabbing her spoon and digging in.

Neither of them spoke for a while and they enjoyed their desserts.

"How's your chocolate pud? It looks delicious" Sandra said with a mouthful of apple pie.

"mmm, It's good, want to try a bit?"

She nodded and Robert cut off a dainty piece with his fork and fed it to Sandra.

She covered her mouth as she chewed, not really out of politeness, more to stop the gooey dark chocolate sauce dripping down her chin. "That is good" she agreed. "Want some apple pie?"

Before Rob could answer Sandra was already moving her spoon in the direction of his mouth.

"That is good, better than the one my mother used to make, that only just topped the one we got served up at school" he replied with his mouth still full of pie.

It was then that Sandra had realised that she didn't really know anything about her boss' personal life other than the names of his children.

For what seemed like hours the pair of them swapped stories of their childhood, focusing mainly on school dinner memories. Before they moved on to more juicy subjects such as politics, music, films and literature.

Neither of them really socialised outside work so tonight had been a welcome break for the pair of them. Neither of them had laughed so much in a long time and both of them realised that until now they didn't really know each other.

"Wow, it is getting late, we best get out of Tony's hair. I will call a cab, police officer or not I best not risk rink driving he joked, causing Sandra to break out in a school girl giggle. Until tonight she hadn't noticed just how attractive Robert Strickland was. It must have been the moonlight she thought.

* * *

When the taxi arrived at Sandra's house she decided she would take a risk. A big risk, after all she wasn't getting any younger and she was sure whatever happened it wouldn't be taken too far as to jeopardise her career at UCOS. "Would you like to come in for a nightcap?"

She bit her lip. She was being too forward, she thought.

"I would love to, if that is what you want" he replied, feeling stupid at his response. He had always liked Sandra a little more than he should have and he doubted that was a secret.

"Of course, I wouldn't have offered otherwise."

Once inside Sandra took off her shoes and went to the fridge to open yet another bottle of wine.

Strickland hadn't imagined Sandra's house to look in the way it did. He imagined it to be more modern than classic. But then again Sandra was one of the classiest women he knew.

Both being slightly drunk and giddy they thought it would be fun to break out a game of scrabble. Usually Sandra hated the game; she only kept it on the rare occasions that her mother visited but even playing one of her favourite games caused more arguments than Sandra could handle.

They both seemed to enjoy the simplicity of sitting on the floor in front of a roaring fire, playing the classic game, before Sandra put down a word that didn't resemble anything in the English language.

"That isn't a word!" Rob exclaimed.

"I think you find it is, Mr Strickland" she slurred.

"I don't think it is."

Sandra struggled to her feet before falling into the arm-chair. She got up and pulled a book off the shelf. "Here" she said handing over **The Oxford English Dictionary. **

Robert, equally as tipsy flicked through the book and snapped it shut in satisfaction. "I told you."

Sandra roared with laughter. "You know I haven't had this much fun in ages, most blokes run a mile when I so much as smile at them." She said, almost saddened at that fact. "Excuse me a minute, I need the loo" she said struggling to walk in a straight line.

"Do you need some help getting there?"

"No thank you" she called down the hall before walking into the door.

Robert couldn't understand Sandra's confession, she was beautiful, bright and great company as well as everything else and he knew that he had always been in love with her **"It must be something to do with her being an English Rose, some people just don't like the prickles"** he thought aloud.

Staring in the mirror Sandra Pullman spoke to the blurry reflection she faced. "Now listen you are drunk, he is your boss, so what you have on many occasions sat there and mentally undressed him in meetings- Oh I have actually done that? Wow" she giggled to herself. "That look he gives you doesn't half turn you on but stop it! He is just being nice; he is your boss and can never be your lover. And before tonight you hadn't even contemplated that. Okay stop lying Sandra Pullman. Go in there and make some coffee and sober up. Or you could take your chances, have a bit of fun. He's just as drunk as you are and I am sure he won't remember any of tonight come morning." She sighed, ran her fingers through her hair before fluffing in up slightly and went back into the lounge.

"Are you okay? You have been a while" he asked sounding concerned.

"I am fine thank you" she said kneeling down by the scrabble board.

"Listen Sandra there is something I need to-"Robert began.

"Shh" Sandra said putting a finger to her lips. She then pushed the scrabble tiles off the board in a surprising sexy move that impressed her more than it did Strickland. "I've always wanted to do that, well by that I mean on a desk and not pushing off plastic squares but pens and documents."

"Sandra I want to tell you-"she moved even closer, so their knees were touching.

"Rob, you are my boss and I am drunk so forgive me if I am misreading the signs but I think you really like me and I am starting to really like you" she admitted.

"Sandra, I never meant for you find out."

She put her index finger on his warm lips. "It's okay, I know it is unprofessional but what's say we give it a go?" She grinned as her lips meet his and she let them dance around his quivering lips.

"Sandra, as much as I want to I don't think we should chance risking our friendship and working relationship" he said trying to sound convincing.

**"It's chancing falling in love. It's chance that we're here. Everything that happens is chance, **we can't stop fate**"**.

She did have a very good argument but Robert knew just what would happen if they mixed business with pleasure. "As much as I would love to, we can't, what would the Commissioner say if he found out?"

"No one would have to know, I mean we are drunk tonight could be fun, exciting and meaningful but when we sober up tomorrow we might wake up and regret it all but we won't know unless we try Rob."

He didn't even need to verbally answer; Rob kissed her passionately before sliding his skilled fingers down her body, unclasping her bra in one smooth move. They were taking a chance and big chance and right now it felt wonderful.

* * *

_**The end! I will let you decide how this fic conludes for yourself. I do hope it was okay, any review would be welcome, sorry if there are a few typos and stuff I wrote this late at night :) Gee x**_


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